


Silent Affections

by STARSdidathing



Series: The "You Belong With Me" Series [47]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Feels, Fluff, Gift Giving, Happy Ending, Loki (Marvel) Angst, Loki (Marvel) Feels, M/M, Oblivious Tony Stark, Pining, Post-Avengers (2012), Romantic Gestures, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Unspecified Setting, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 19:04:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15007382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: Alfheim diamonds were very rare and very valuable, not that Loki had expected Tony Stark to know that.





	Silent Affections

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even remember what inspired this, I really don't, but it's been completed for a while and has won the lucky dip prize of "which story I will post next" lol. I hope you enjoy :)

Alfheim diamonds were very rare and very valuable, not that Loki had expected Tony Stark to know that. Not that Loki had expected his _fool_ of a brother to be able to tell the difference between Midgardian and Alfheim gemstones.

Not that Loki had expected Thor to tell Tony that was what Loki had given him.

Tony had been complaining that the ‘action figures’ of Iron Man were not impressive or accurate enough, so he had made his own prototype for his lab. Loki had watched the whole production with great amusement, occasionally using magic to animate the miniature armour much to Tony’s delight.

When the mortal had completed it, Tony had been debating building a miniature arc-reactor for the chest cavity when Loki had offered an alternative. 

The Alfheim blue diamond rested so perfectly at the core of the armour, twinkling in the light of Tony’s lab. It made Loki smile softly whenever he saw it.

Thor wasn’t supposed to recognise it; wasn’t supposed to _tell_ Tony of the diamond’s rarity when Loki had likened it to little more than a crystal. Thor wasn’t supposed to _tell_ Tony that for Loki to give someone something so impressive and coveted meant that Loki truly must... love them.

It wasn’t supposed to come out that way. It wasn’t supposed to come out _at all_. He’d never meant to voice it or express his feelings to a man destined for better lovers.

Yet, Tony had asked him about it when Loki had appeared in the mortal’s lab, days later, unaware of his conversation with Thor. Tony had been holding the diamond in one hand as he explained what he’d been told, making Loki go pale with each word.

His expression was demanding nothing but the truth, his eyes unreadable as he’d asked, “Why did you give me this?”

And what else could Loki say?

“I wanted you to have it,” Loki had murmured, his eyes averted and looking at the empty armour; free from the diamond and the unknowing affection, commitment and longing that had been offered – and now rejected once and for all. “I liked the idea that you wore it, even if you didn’t know, even if it was only,” Loki sighed, “worn by a _version_ of you.” Loki still couldn’t look at Tony even as he held out his hand, his chest feeling as empty as the miniature armour. “But you don’t need to keep it.”

He heard Tony stepping forward and he tried not to wince, tried not to let the pain show as he waited for the weight of the diamond to land in his hand, returned and unwanted, just like Loki had always known his affections would be - but when his skin was touched, it wasn’t a diamond but the soft warmth of Tony’s palm.

Loki’s head jerked up, his gaze moving to stare at Tony’s hand resting over his own. He then brought his eyes up to Tony’s--feeling nervous, fearful and disbelieving--but Tony’s eyes and smile were soft as he stepped close, the diamond held close to his chest as his other hand shifted to better grasp Loki’s own.

“What if I want to keep it?” Tony asked him quietly, stepping so close that their chests almost brushed; their hands being pulled down to rest by their sides, their fingers gently linking. “What if I want the guy who gave it to me too?”

Loki swallowed thickly, but before he could say a word, Tony was closing the last bit of space until their lips came together. It was so soft it almost hurt and Loki’s free hand came to Tony’s neck, holding him near with faint desperation, but Tony just smiled and hummed a soothing noise against Loki’s lips.

It was a noise that swept through Loki and left a trail of warmth - a trail of blissful, amazing, _relief_. It made him smile and kiss Tony deeper, to tug him even closer so that there wasn’t a single part of their bodies that wasn’t touching.

The diamond continued to rest between their chests as they held each other close, and Loki could only grin against Anthony’s lips at the acceptance of his gift.

Diamonds, after all, were not just a symbol of marriage in Midgardian courtships, but on many other realms as well.

Loki had liked the idea of Tony wearing his diamond even if it was only done with toy armour. Loki had liked pretending that Tony knew what he had accepted and was displaying it for all to see. Loki had _liked_ imagining it was more than just a wistful fantasy or unattainable illusion.

But now it _could_ be more and Loki could not wait for a day when Tony would don the diamond with full knowledge of its worth and the true acceptance of a lifetime’s commitment to Loki.

**Author's Note:**

> Loki is such a romantic, pining sap. Giving his love an expensive rare diamond/courting gift to place in an Iron Man toy just so that he could see it rest over his love's heart. To smile wistfully every time he sees it and pretend it's more then it is. So he can lightly stroke the toy/diamond softly whenever Tony is away or asleep and sigh with longing over the things he'll "never have". 
> 
> ... BUUUUT IT'S A GOOD THING THOR IS THERE TO BLAB AND KICK THEM INTO GEAR FOR A HAPPY ENDING, YES? XD
> 
> I like making Thor a hapless but helpful good bro, hehe.


End file.
